Drawing machine



G. GILLESPIE DRAWIlNG mourn Filed Dec.l2. 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1- Feb. 15,1927.

- 1,617,632 G. GILLESPIE DRAWING MACHINE v1 Filed Dec. 12. 19 24 s Sheets-Sheet 5' Fig XII 1 INVENTOR Patented F eb. 15, 1927.

GEORGE GILLESPIE, or IBEIIJLEVUVE, PENNSYLVANIA.-

nnawmo MACH-Inn.

Application filed December I2, 1924. Serial No. 755,449.

hly invention relateslto improvements in drawing machines, and consists in a machine having some or all of these features: First, reproduction on the same or on different scale, with wide range in enlargement and reduction; second, reproduction with modification, so asto reproduce a master letter with exaggeration in height or in breadth,

of with hange from erect to italic form,

etc.; third, :a machine which may be used for drawing, for engraving, for etchin etc.:; fourth, a machine which while used in.

following a pattern admits, at the'same time, of free-hand departures from the pattern;

fifth, a machine so mounted as to be capable of shifting over the large surface of aspread-out map or sheet of drawing, to the end that selection may be made, and a portion only of the master map or drawing reproduced; sixth, a machine in which the pressure with which the pen engages the paper is variable, and wholly subject to the continuing judgment and control of the operator, to the end that the line, may be made heavy or light at will, or even discontinuous, without pause in the operation; seventh, a machine in which the-arrangement of a succession of ChaZ'ZIC tQIS, whether in straight or curved lines, may in the opera-' tion of the machine, and without variation in the pattern, be varied; eighth, a machine in which a succession of lines of characters maybe spaced with precision, and that' too independently of any pattern; and, ninth, a machine in which, concomitantly with re production from a pattern, ruled lines may be .introduced, with precision of spacing, and

in any desired position and arrangement. All of these features are attained in a machine of simple structure, easily kept in re pair, easily adjusted, and sure in operation.

A machine embodying my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Fig. I is a view in perspective of the assembled machine; Fig. II is a diagrammatic view in side elevation, illustrating particularly the mounting of the styluscarrying lever; Fig. III similarly shows diagrammatically the pen-carrying lever; "Figs. IV and V show to larger scale, and in rear and side elevation, the pen-holder; Figs, VI,

VII, and VIII show on larger scale and in perspective and in side and front elevation, the mounting of the levers; Fig. IX shows in perspective a table which being employed,

inakespossible variation at will in the ari and XI illustrate details in the mounting of 1 the table of Fig. IX; Fig. XII is a View :in perspective of a line-ruling attachment, applicable to the machinebed, of Fig. I; Fig. XIII-shows in perspective and :in elevation shifting mechanism; applicable alike to the assembly of Figs. I and XII, Fig. .XIV shows in elevation. a detail of the adjacent showing of Fig. I.

The machine includes an underlying frame, mounted to move upon parallel ways 7, 7 '(Figs. I, XII, XIII, and XIV). This underlying frame includes parallel bars '6, 6, which constitute ways upon which the particular pieces of apparatus severally shown in Figs. I and XII maybe alternate-' 1y, 0r (conceivably) simultaneously,mounted foroperation, The pairs of parallel ways 7, '2' and 6, 6 extend angularly, pair to pair, and preferably at, right angles, and as ordinarily will be the case, in ipal'alleland hOIl'r the members 3, 4, borne by the horizontally extending frame and sustained in position by .ithe braces 5.

The vertically standing "frame 3, 4; in-' clud-es upright postsS, 8, 'and9, 9, and these pairs of posts "carry horizontally extending brackets 10, 11. In these brackets 10, 11, blocks 12, and 13 are mounted upon universal joints, which permit the blocks to swing to anyangle. The blocks 12 and 13 areperforate, andthrough the perforations extend rods 14 and 15. "14 is the stylus-carrying lever; 15, the pen-carrying lever. These two levers, mounted as they are inthe universally turning blocks carried in brackets 10, 11, are capable of swinging freely 'on these bracket-s as fulcra, in any vertical plane, and to any degree of obliquity, from 'their'normal vertical position. In Figs. VI,

VII, and VIII, the mounting-of "the pencarrying lever is particularly shown, and itwill be understood that the mounting of thestylus-carrying lever is essentially the samefi The levers '14 and 15, adjustable in blocks 12. and 13, may be secured at any point in the range of adjustment, as by the set screws shown.

At their upper ends these twolevers 14 and are coordinated toswing in unison, to the end that'theswinging of lever 14 in any vertical plane will effect a corresponding swinu of lever 15 in a parallelplane. '(It will be understood that when I speak of swing in a vertical plane, I am analyzing the movement :of the levers and reduclng that movement to simplest definition. As a mat -,is notv alwaysindeed it is seldomin planes 3 which radiate from the line of normal vertical position of the levers, as axes; the movements of the levers in' practice commonly de-.

Scribe irregular surfaces, not plane surfaces at; all. But there will be no misapprehension: the levers movefreely, and, as I say,

I provideimeans for correlating their movement.) These means are found in the pantogra'ph frame formed by the rods 16, 17 18,

19; .20, [21, carried by the frame part 4.

While it is 'possible'to interconnect the levers 14 and 15 by means which in transmitting motion, magnify or reduce it, I preferably make the components of the pairs of rods 16,17; 18, 19; and 20, 21, equal, and so impart to the upper end of lever 15 a range of movement identical with that of lever 14.

. I The levers 14, 15 which extend in approximately vertical position, are articu.

lated to rods 16, 17 which extend horizontally, by joints which make compensation for the varying angularity of the levers 14, 15 to the vertical. The rods 16, 17 carry balls 22, mounted for universal turning in their bearings. The balls are axially perforate,

slidable within these and thelevers 14, 15 extend within and are perforations (of. Figs. II and III).

The levers at'their lower ends arecorrespondingly adapted totraverse horizontal surfaces. To that end lever 14 may be simply telescopic, and is shown to be provided with a stylus 23 which will be understood to be extensible from and retractible within the hollow body of lever 14.

, 7 The pen, however, with which terminates is preferably mounted directly lever 15 upon a pantograph frame 24, which pantogra 11 frame is mounted in the'basal frame of t e machine (of. Figs. I and III while thepantograph frame 24 is engage by the lever 15 at its lower end, through such a compensating joint as that shown already described.

The brackets 10, 11 are adjustable vertical-ly upon the posts 8, 8 and 9, 9 which carry at 22 and them. As the brackets are shifted, the

levers'slide within blocks 12 and 13, and thus the fulcra of the levers are-shifted, and, accordin to the relative positions of the fulcra, t escale of reproduction may be varied. As shown in Fig. I, the posts may be graduated, to assist in setting the machine accurately for reproduction to a particular scale.

then secured, by set screws in operative position.

The brackets 10 and 11 carry, rotatable on horizontal axes, rings 26. The axes of rotation lie in lines which are diametrical with respect to the rings. The rings 26 carry other rings 32, rotatable concentrically upon rings 26. The blocks 12 and 13 are provided with opposite parallel extensions 25, and through these extensions the blocks are swingingly borne by rings 32. The axes of pivotal swing of blocks 12, 13 upon rings 32 are normally perpendicular to the axes of rotation of rings 26 upon brackets 10, 11;

but by turning rings 32 upon rings 26 the degree of angularity of these two axesfof turning may be varled. The points of pivotal engagement between rings 32 and blocks 12, 13 are adjustable, longitudinally of ex-' tensions 25. In Fig. I block12 is shown to be supported upon downwardly-directed extensions 25, while block 13 is supported by upwardly-directed extensions.

The mounting of blocks 12, 13 upon brackets 10,11 with a plurality of axes of turning angularly disposed one to another, affords universal turning, to the end that therods 14, 15 borne by the blocks 12, 13, may swing freely from the vertical, within a sufficient range, to any angular position, and from one angular position to another. By rotation of rings 32 upon rings 26 reproduction may be distorted, as for instance erect letters may be reproduced as italics. By adjustment of the pivot point, where the extensions 25 from. blocks 12, 13 are engaged by rings 26, the

proportions in which reproduction is effected hen the brackets have been placed the levers 14 and 15 may-be adjusted and llll) may be varied: for instance, the breadth upon the surfaces towhich it is applied with variable force, and give a line which within the Wlll of theoperator is variable 1n strength. The pen 1s provided with trunnions 33 which turn in bearings 34 provided for them and carried by the pantograph frame 24. Movement of the pen in one direction is by spring tension, or by the equivalent weight; in, the other direction the pen is moved by muscular force. The particular disposition of these opposing .ac'tly to position, in the sight-line a-?2.

forces is that which the drawings illustrate. A spring, not shown but suitably arranged in any convenient manner,'or gravity, tends to swing the pen away from the surface. A pressure device, in the form of 'apushrodwithin a flexible tube 28 is provided which engaging an arm 36 borne by one of the trunnions 33 of the pen, counteracts to greater'or less degree, according to the pressure exerted, the tension of the spring. Thus i'iormally-the pen stands free ofthe surface, and under the hand of the operator may be brought to engagement with the surface and may bear upon the surface with any desired degree of intensityperhaps to make heavier the line, perhaps to cut through an etching ground. The operating end of the push rod 35 conveniently .is carried by or adjacent to the stylus 23, and thus is operable by the fingers of the hand which guides the stylus. I

Figs. IV and V illustra e more minutely the actual structure. A carrier 37 is provided for the pen, and into this carrier the pen 27 itself may he slipped, to the positio'n shown in-dotted lines in Fig IV and in full lines in Fi V, and fixed by set screws. The pen so mounted is adjustable in its-carrier. A sighting member 38, shown in Figs. III and V in its swung'aside and inactive position, pivoted in frame 24, may be provided, along which when turned to vertical position the user of the instrument may sight, to'bring the point of the pen 2? exline with lever 15, when the lever is vertical). The stirrup-shaped member 34 may be articulated by a, knee-joint 39 to its mounting upon frame '24, and by the provision of such a joint the pen when in place in its carrier 37, raised from the board, may be swung aside for cleaning, for the changing of pen points, and such like purposes.

I show in Fig. I, arranged beneath the stylus, a-master plate 29, removably carried on a bracket- 30 extending from the frame of the machine. A box3l filled with such master plates is carried adjacently. These master plates may bebrought alternately to position beneath the stylus and accurately placed and secured there, held by clamps, one of which'is adjustable. Each such'master plate may be understood to consist of a sheet of copper with a legible character applied to it .in sunken lines. When a master plate is in position the operator takes the stylus in han 'l, with a tinger resting on push rod 28. He exerts pressure on the push rod and in so doing brings pen 27 to bear upon the surface of a .heetof paper 32 suitable spread beneath. He then draws the stylus along the grooves which define the character in the master plate, and as he doesso he causes the pen to drawa corresponding line upon the pa- 'doing may add, free-hand, embel'lislnnen't or variations to the reproduced character. Since the stylus is freely telescopic in rod 14, it may be raised, free of the master plate, while the pen 27 continues to engage the sheet 32, and thus the machine is readily adaptable to free-hand work, as occasion may require. The master plate 29 is, in Fig. 1, shown to be carried immediately by a circular plate 40, rotatably borne upon brackets 30, and a knob 41 is shown-by which plate may be rotated uponbracket 30. Herein is provision for-the ready adjustment of the master plate in its position, to achieve any necessary correction in the position of the reproduction upon sheet 32.

Having reproduced one character in the manner described, the operator may shift the machine frame a suitable distance'along Ways 6, and from the same master plate or another, reproduce another character upon sheet 32, in proper space relation to the first. r i

Instead of interchangeable master plates, a long plate mightbe employed, bearing asuccession of characters, and movable; to bring one character after another withinthe range of the stylus.

In Figs. IX-X-I I show an elaboration-of structure, by means of which-the paper may be minutely adjusted beneath the 'pen, and shifted with precision to receive successive reproduced characters, or the like. In Fig. I-the sheetof paper 32 is shown to be mounted on a fixed support, and'all of the movements to effect successive reproduction of a line of characters must then be effected by shifting the. pen-carrying frame. In Fig. IX the paper 32 is shown to be mounted upon a board 42. The board 42 rests upon a turntable 43 rotatable on a fixed support 44. The board 42 is slotted beneath, and in the slot a slide 45 is engaged; the turn-table 43 is slotted above, and in the slot'the slide '46 is engaged; and the slides 45 and 46 are pivoted together. It will be perceived that by such a structure any point within the area of sheet 32, or even beyond, may be made a mo J center of turning for the board 42 upon the turn-table 43. By such provision a lineof characters may be reproducedfrom a succes-' sion of master plates 29 (for example) in curvilinear succession, and 111 any desired degree of curvature, upon sheet 32. The

turn-table 43 itself affords independent means of turning upon a fixed centeiz. Furshown.

thermore, the mounting of board 42 upon slides permits of the right-line movement of the board in any direction, predetermined by the positionof the slide. The board 42 may be clamped to slide 45 at any point in the 7 range of movement by means of a clamping .two ways: it may be temporarily bolted to the disk by means ofa thumb-screw 50, and when so bolted, function as anintegral part of the disk; or it mayengage the toothed rim of the disk through one or another of the spring-backed pawls 51, oppositely placed,

' and serviceable alternately to effect table shifting in one direction or the other, as may be desired; A graduated disk 52 is adapted to be rigidly secured to the frame, in a position concentric with disk 48 and adjacent to disk 48. Being larger, it presents a projecting margin, as clearly seen in Fig. XIII. Thedisk 52 is provided with a pawl 53, engaging the, toothed rim of disk 48. If a succession of lines of characters is to be laid at constant and large intervals upon sheet 32,thumbscrcw 50 is loosened, and a pair of blocks 54 is secured at proper points upon the graduated rim of disk 52. These blocks are so proportioned as to constitute stops to the swinging of crank 49. Reciprocation of the crank between the limits of its range of swing so defined, will then efiect the stepby-Step advance of the frameabove the sheet 32, in one direction or the other, according as one or the other of the pawls 51 is set for operation. If, on the other hand, the intervals between successive lines are to be measured, eachby itself in turn, then blocks 54 are removed, thumb screw-5O is tightened and crank 49 bolted to disk 48, and the pawls 5.1 are retracted. Then the range of turning of crank 49 is very carefully measured, along the graduated rim of disk 52 (or by counting ticks of pawl in teeth in disk 48). Thus a succession of parallel lines may be drawn, spaced at any desired intervals, even so minutejas one one-hundredth of an inch, for instance. T

In place of, or in. association with the stylus and pen bearing carriage of Fig. I, adapted for reproduction of a master pat tern, the frame which includes rails 6, 6 may bear such a carriage as 56, shown in Fig. XII, which is equipped merely with a ruling pen 55. The carriage is adjustable along and the drawing board of Fig. IX, with its capacity of being shifted in right-line direction and at anyangle, a succession of paral-,

lel lines, accurately spaced atany interval, great or small, constant or variable, may be effected."

I show, borne by carriage 56, a ruling pen otherwise of familiar character, but provided with this additional feature: the head of the adjusting screw 60 is enlarged, and its edge graduated, that even after fortuitous interruption, the ruling of a succession of lines may be resumed, without change in the intensity of the lines. his is an improvement of great value in such work, for example, as the shading of surfaces.

It will be understood that similarly to can riage 56, the stylus and pen bearing carriage of Fig. I may be provided with rack and pinion drive, for movement along ways 6.

The pen 27 need not be a pen in the common meaning, and the sheet 32 need not be a sheet of paper.

I have designed my machine primarily for drawing in ink and upon paper, lettering or other designs, for reproduction: that is to say, I intend primarily to produce an ink drawing, such as may be reproduced by the familiarv processes of photo-engraving. But, although such is my primary intent, it is manifest that the machine is adapted for etching: instead of a pen traversing a sheet of drawing paper, an etching needle will in that case traverse a properlyprepared plate. Similarly the machine may be used in lithography; and the line drawn, not on paper, but on the stone or zinc plate used in that branch of the arts. Returningto the pen drawing on paper, which primarily I in.-

tend, I remark these desirable features and. i

characteristics of work done on my machine: no preliminary laying out, such as characterize mechanical drawing generally, is re quired; there is no preliminary execution in pencil. These things make for rapidity in work; a steel-engraver, for example, or lithographic artist, may expeditiously and cheaply prepare the usual pen sketch of work to be done,for consideration by his prospective customer. Reproduction may be made, and accurately made, to any scale, within practical limits; the work is done with great precision in the form and spacing of characters; a hand drawing pen may be used, with point as fine as maybe desired, and by variations in intensity of line, and intentional variations in spacing and in proportioning, and the addition of free-hand embellishments, free-hand effects may be ob-. tained. V V

The master plate need not be a copper It will be perceived plate with a groove in it. It may be a sheet or plane surface of any materiahbearing a design applied to it in any visible form.

It may be relatively large and the sheet 32 may be relatively small. If it be relatively large the machine may be sifted upon its ways and brought to position at any particular place above it.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a drawing machineadapted to re produce a pattern upon an adjacent surface, a frame, a pair of levers extending in parallelism and angularly to the surface upon which reproduction is to be made, means fulcruming the said levers in said frame, at points intermediate their ends, and upon longitudinally and severally adjustable fulcra, the said levers adapted at their ends adjacent the work to engage pattern'and reproduction surface, and means connecting.

the levers at their remote ends and imparting swinging motion from one of the levers to the other. 1

2. In a drawing machine adapted to reproduce a pattern upon an adjacent surface, a frame, a pair of levers extending to parallelism and angularly to the surface upon which reproduction is to be made, means fulcruming the said levers severally in said frame, at points intermediate their length, and means engaging the said levers at their remote ends and imparting swinging movement from one of said levers to the other, the said levers in the organized machine being movable in the direction of their length both with respect to the means last named and with respect to the work- V 4 In a drawing machine adapted to reproduce a pattern upon an adjacent surface, a frame, a pair of levers extending in par allelism and perpendicularly to the surface upon which reproduction is 'to'be made,

means fulcruming the said levers severally in said frame at points intermediate their" length, a'pantograph frame movable above the reproduction surface and an instrument borne by said'pantograph frame and adapt-v ed to engage said reproduction surface, one of said levers engaging said pantograph frame in a joint movable longitudinally of said master plate support and a said lever, and means engaging said levers 4. In a drawing machine the combination of a support slotted above, a work-sustaining board slotted beneath, a pair of slides pivoted one to the other and movable, one in a slot in the said support, the other in the slot in the work-sustaining board, means for looking the slide at any point. in its range of movement to the member in which it moves, a frame including ways, and a second frame equipped with a line-drawing instrument movable upon said ways adjacent to said work-sustaining board.

5. In a drawing machine the combination of a work-sustaining table, a pair of parallel ways arranged adjacent said table, a frame movable upon said ways and including in-turn' ways, angularly disposed with respect to the ways first named, a second frame movable upon the ways last named, a pair of levers, means fulcruming the said levers in the said second frame, the said levers being angularlydisposed with respect to said work-sustaining table, and means for imparting swinging movement from one to the other of said'levers. I I

6. In a drawing machine the combination of a work-sustaining table, a frame arranged above said table, a pair of levers, means'fulto swing in unison, a work support movable upon said table, means for shifting the work support in its position upon "said table, a support movably borne by said frame and adapted to receive and sustain and release a plurality of successively applied master plates, and means for shifting the support for the master plates in its position on said frame, the said levers being adapted severally to engage a master plate borne by piece of work borne by said work support. 1

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEORGE GILLESPIE. V 

